A variety of electronic components including thin film transistors (TFTs) are manufactured on glass substrates in, for example, the production of pixelized displays, e.g., liquid crystal displays (LCD) and organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. The standard substrate thickness for this application has been 0.7 millimeters, and display manufacturers have sophisticated manufacturing equipment in place for use with such substrates.
Recently, substantially thinner substrates have been produced by glass manufacturers, e.g., substrates having a thickness down to 0.1 millimeters and below. In order to be processed, such thin substrates need to be temporarily bonded to a thicker carrier that will release the substrate without damage at the end of the fabrication process. In addition, it would be desirable if the carrier could be reused at least several times without the need for an extensive recycling procedure. Furthermore, to take advantage of existing equipment, the carrier/substrate assembly should preferably be suitable for processing using conventional equipment and reagents employed in the manufacture of electronic components, including TFTs, with little or no modification.
Although a variety of approaches to this problem have been proposed, to date, a solution to the problem has eluded the art. The problem has proved challenging because of the competing requirements which the carrier must meet including 1) the ability to withstand the chemical treatments and elevated temperatures employed during the manufacture of electronic components on glass substrates, 2) the ability to firmly retain the glass substrate on the carrier during the manufacturing process with no relative movement between the substrate and the carrier and essentially zero failures since a failure can mean a shutdown of an entire manufacturing line, and 3) the ability to release the glass substrate and the electronic components formed thereon after the manufacturing process with no damage to either.
As discussed fully below, in accordance with the present disclosure, a carrier structure and critical parameters for the interface between the carrier and the glass substrate have been found which allow all of the above requirements to be met simultaneously.